National Republican., 1887-03-02
Government or Private Navy Yards.

Government or Private Navy Yards.
On the last day Of September, 1886, the
Washington navy yard was closed, aban-
doned as a navy yard, and ordered to be
transformed into gun foundry.
1t is intended to have all vessels for the
navy built by contract in private ship yards,
and to be completed and receive their outfit
at New York, Norfolk, Va, and Mare
Island, Cal. All repairs will be made at |
the New York yard. The Norfolk yard |
will be used for furniture making and boat
building. This Boston yard is to be an
equipment establishment. Mare Island
navy yard will serve as a depot for con-
demned ships. All the rest OF the United
States navy yards are to be closed.
The plan, IL carried out, is rather expen-
sive instead of economical, and the chief
objection that it is most impracticable. II
this plan is carried out the United States
will possess system of navy organization
such as no other naval power has.
All foreign naval powers recognize the
fact that navy yards are indispensable to a
naval organization, that each navy yard
must be complete in itself. The dock yards
Of England, France, Germany, Russia, and
Italy are laid out and conducted upon this
| principle, and although some of the yards
are carried on with special objects in view,
yet none of the others are dependent upon
any other dock yard for the manufacture Of
certain articles, without which ship is
incomplete. There is no naval power that
depends upon civil establishments solely
for the building Of its vessels of war, and
no sound argument can be advanced why
such perverted policy should pass as a
reform measure in this country.
Our Washington navy yard as to locality
and climate is far superior to New York.
The Washington navy yard is 200 miles
from the ocean, situated on a fresh water
river, which, it is claimed; is best for iron
ships, as salt water corrodes the iron. Our
| climate is so mild that men can work out
| doors almost every day In the year. Our
navy yard has two of the largest OF ship
houses, with plenty Of dock room, besides
draft Of water more than twenty feet
in the channel and all along the wharf; 1t is
in every respect the best yard for building
steel cruisers, gunboats, and torpedo boats.
AS navy yard its value may be estimated
at many millions OF dollars, while as a gun
foundry it will prove a dead loss to the
government The time will come when the
; importance of ship building at the Wash.
ington navy yard will be recognized
Since the naval bill passed the House OF
Representatives without doing justice to the
evident merits of our navy yard, we cannot
give up the hope that the conference CON-
mittee may offer as an amendment to the
= naval bill that half the number Of war ships
y shall be built in the navy yards of thu
', United States, and at least ''onc Of The Stec
u :. cruisers shall be built at the Washington
'. navy yard" Our able and worthy nava
" constructors ought to be at work building
=. ships for our navy, instead Of wanderin!
y from place to place, in order to act as over
~ seers at private ship yards. Our navy yard
:, should be opened to all our working classe
- - as the proper school for the instruction o
~ y. our mechanics and skilled laborers, wher
~ they shall be taught and trained In th
" building of iron ships, with all the moder
" Improvements In the hull and engines.
~ In consideration of the policy of havin
- all our ships built by private firms, muc
n. will depend upon complications with fol
: eign foe. In the event OF war the Ne,
st York yard, as the center of supply of cel
10 or the Boston yard, as the sole manufactu
- ing place of equipment articles, may
;, chosen for the same distinction. The cal
ture Of either one or both would result /
no the destruction of the place and its col
~ tents. Our vessels In the process of col
a struction could not be fitted out nor coul
h. those in commission replenlsh their SUI
~ plies. To close several navy yards an
make Others dependent for supplies, Il
n. one complete in itself, is terribly pruder
m and wise organization. To depend upo
II private builders for the construction
or ships in case of war is very unreliable an
to dangerous.
u. The economical side or the question wi
r. soon be brought out, If war should com
.ic when private builders will not be slow
to take advantage Of the situation. The
may retard the work In bringing about
no strike among the most patriotic workme
or they may disappoint the government an
Ii. hazard its existence by furnishing bad m
he terial of war. For this aud many 9th,
m. reasons the consolidation experiment by
N. young and inexperienced Secretary of IL
tie Navy may prove just as unavoidable an
les disastrous as the 2lst of April, 1861, wht
u. Norfolk, the principal navy yard and nav
depot, was destroyed.